Nerve patterns in the brain store memories through the connections between a large number of brain cells called neurons. These patterns are created when a memory is stored and when we recall the memory those same neural pathways are refired, which causes us to re-experience the event or fact we have stored. Short term memory pathways are set up the first time we encounter a fact or experience and we can make these long term memories by recalling the memory which refires the same neural pathway.
Memories can last a lifetime as long as you don’t lose them to disease or damage. If the neurons are damaged physically through shock, such as a serious blow to the head, then those memories stored in them can be lost. Diseases such as alzheimers are caused by protein ‘plaques’ building up in neurons and stopping them from functioning correctly, but clinical scientists are working on drugs to stop this happening or to disperse the plaque buildup. If the plaques build up then the neurons die and the memories are then lost forever.
Without disease or damage, however, it is possible for us to retain memories throughout our life. A study performed on people’s memories of names and faces of their school classmates found that they could remember them with 90% accuracy 15 years after they had left the school. The same study found that those who had left school around 50 years previosly still had 70-80% accuracy.
Nerve patterns in the brain store memories through the connections between a large number of brain cells called neurons. These patterns are created when a memory is stored and when we recall the memory those same neural pathways are refired, which causes us to re-experience the event or fact we have stored. Short term memory pathways are set up the first time we encounter a fact or experience and we can make these long term memories by recalling the memory which refires the same neural pathway.
Memories can last a lifetime as long as you don’t lose them to disease or damage. If the neurons are damaged physically through shock, such as a serious blow to the head, then those memories stored in them can be lost. Diseases such as alzheimers are caused by protein ‘plaques’ building up in neurons and stopping them from functioning correctly, but clinical scientists are working on drugs to stop this happening or to disperse the plaque buildup. If the plaques build up then the neurons die and the memories are then lost forever.
Without disease or damage, however, it is possible for us to retain memories throughout our life. A study performed on people’s memories of names and faces of their school classmates found that they could remember them with 90% accuracy 15 years after they had left the school. The same study found that those who had left school around 50 years previosly still had 70-80% accuracy.
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